EPISODE 4 OF 5
“I don’t want to die! I’m only just getting there – all my hard work, and for what? I don’t want to die. I rang you because you believe in God, and well, he could heal me, right?” John Steely’s tone was weak. He spoke as a man fast loosing hope and clutching for straws. This once strong, tall and stately looking fellow was fast succumbing to the hungry cancer feeding on his life. The rector from the local Anglican Church, Rodger Griffith sat in silence listening to the grim story. The word “pathetic” flashed across his mind in bold. This unsympathetic thought alarmed him, forcing him to refocus.
Feeling pity for this man was a struggle.
He collected himself and responded to the ‘searching for an answer’ look.
“John, what I am about to say you may not like or appreciate. John, you came out of the heart of God but you, like us all, have fallen under a curse. The curse has made you selfish, greedy, uncaring. It has lied to you John – telling you that you can be powerful and in control. You have believed it but look at you now. God is not going to heal you John, you are going to die. But Jesus has broken the power of the curse.
You can die free from the curse.”
John was not use to people being so direct with him. It took him by surprise and something within him wanted to react against the accusations. But he was desperate and so so tired. Another voice, a strangers voice somewhere within him, suggested that he hear the preacher out.
All he could muster was to ask, “How?” His old scepticism was immediately alerted and questioned the wisdom of the response. “You fool, now he will dump his religious bucket full all over you… that’s the last thing you need!”, but then, again… “hear him out,” came the stranger’s voice.
Rodger continued, “By trusting in the truth – that you came out of the heart of God. Admitting that you have lived your life under the power of the curse and have destroyed others in the process and by trusting that Jesus broke the power of the curse for you. This becomes real in you when you trust in Jesus.”
For the next week those words “destroyed others in the process” echoed within his inner being and thoughts. The words haunted him in his dreams taking on tormenting images that turned their destructive intentions onto him. One night he was being devoured by these demons intent on feeding on his flesh and found himself pleading for mercy. There was none. The face of Jacob Ryan hovered over him startling him awake. Sitting bolt upright with sweaty brow he was screaming out “God no!” Collapsing onto the pillow, the message of the dream was as obvious as the brightest neon sign. For the first time in his life, John prayed to Jesus.